I am a proud Dharawal and Yuin multi-disciplinary artist and designer and have played a leading role in developing design pathways for Aboriginal people in design. I have an extensive career working since 1998, spanning design, public art, interiors, exhibitions and urban design. I am now a Professor of Practice in the School of Architecture at University of Technology, Sydney where I am establishing the Indigenous Institute for Designing with Country.

What does interpretation mean to you?
As an Aboriginal designer everything is based on story and so there is always an interpretation of narratives into design. The narratives are about people and place and the creativity comes into the translation of the stories into design. It is a powerful way to share stories relating to history, traditional knowledges, truth-telling and identity.

When and how did you start working in interpretation?
Since I started practicing in cultural design, which I dabbled in at University, but when I joined Australia’s first Aboriginal Architecture group, Merrima in 1998, I really explored the idea of meaning and storytelling in design in a major way. This was through architecture, event design and exhibition design.

What is your favourite interpretive project to date and why?
Seeing Sydney Knowing Country was such a great project because I was asked to design a space to display a colonial collection of maps, prints and objects from colonial Sydney to bring an Indigenous voice and lens. This project presented the ideal in working interpretatively, because I was working with Museums of History curators who brought historic fact to the table, as well as the creative team who worked collaboratively with me to realise the vision. The project just flowed. Having worked in this space for almost three decades, I have the maturity and confidence to work with this type of material.

What role does Interpretation have in the world today?
Interpretation is critical in Australia right now as we are grappling with our true history. It will be essential for social cohesion that creatives are engaged to present history in ways that captivate hearts and minds, especially given some of that history is difficult. It is also the way in which Australia will shape its identity moving forward. Every interpretation project in every town will build this national story over time.